Mid-Ohio Track info?

[rickslick]

Going to Mid-Ohio ALMS race August.
I see by watching TV and UTube videos that there is a hill where many fans sit and watch the race. It looks like a couple of turns after a long back straightaway. I have looked at the track by Google Earth and do not see any "walk across" bridges that take you from the outside of the track to the inside.
I do see a drive over type bridge.
Can someone give me info on where most people park outside the track and how they get into the inner side so they can get to these viewing hills........

Thanks, Rick

[natefromohio]

The drive over bridge is also a walkover (sidewalk). That is how you get to the inside of the track. The big viewing berm is at the Keyhole which is the 180 degree turn just before the straightaway. Using that as a reference point, I'll try to guide you around the track. walking up the first straight towards turn one and the driveover bridge, you can cut to the right just before the bridge into the paddock area, where you can go above the garages for some nice views of the finish line. you can also walk all the way around (mostly) the outside of the track by going this way. Goig over the bridge gets you into the infield. there are way too many viewing areas to list. There is a walkover bridge connecting outside/inside of the track just past the esses and another one just past turn 9 in "thunder valley"

AS far as parking, the general parking is all in a big field to beside the keyhole. You can buy an infield parking pass as well if you wish.

I would try to tell you my favorite spots to watch but really, I like just about every corner. I'm usually a wanderer at MO. Anyway, I hope this helps a bit. If it doesn't make sense (it's about 3 am as i type this) or you have more questions, let me know. 

[rickslick]

Thanks for taking time to explain the track layout. As I watched the Rolex cars last week on TV, I saw a hill area where a lot of people watched the race. I think it is turn 5 on the map you posted here. I saw some type of wood structure that doesn't look all that big, might hold a dozen people and it looked like about 10 feet tall, almost like a big kids fort. This is the area where a lot of people where sitting on this hill area.

I just want to see some interesting braking, acceleration and turns by sitting in one place. The race is a bit short to try to watch from too many areas.
I also am staying for the Indy race.

Rick

[natefromohio]

Yes, there is a big viewing hill-type place around turn five. If you look on the map, move the turn one indicator to the inside of the track. Now connect the dots of 1, 10, 11, and then follow the track all the way around to 5,4, and back to 1. That whole area it makes is basically one big open area. And this is what you were probably seeing:



It is actually a great place to watch from, hence the crowd. You get the cars coming into heaving breaking off the straight into Turn 4, followed by turn 5 which is neat because it's still uphill and then also diving back downhill into another relatively sharp righthander



There is also a fun to watch and on the other side, where the cars are climbing uphill again under the walkover:



I know you mentioned not wanting to change places too much, but if you haven't ever been to Mid-Ohio, you have to take in Thunder Valley. To me, the sounds of racing don't get much better than there. It's just like it sounds, the engine sounds have nowhere else to go and just amplify in the small valley there. Incredible! Make sure you are on the inside of the track for that. It's also pretty shady, which can be nice at an August race. Also you can't see in the picture, but when the cars go into turn 11, they are somewhat light on their feet because the peak of the uphill, so I do enjoy watching the turn there as well (from thunder valley, the view is better IMO)



Anything else, just let me know

[BillBones]

Rick, another Mid-Ohio trick is to use the back gatein the red cirlce.  They only accept advance sales tickets at this gate, they don't sell tickets here.  To buy a ticket on race day you have to use the front main gate.  If you order tickets and have them mailed to you, this is the gate to use.  The back gate is off of Eckert Rd/Township Highway 6.  When you leave you won't have to deal with any of the traffic at the front gate.

You can also go in through the main gate then drive around the side of the track and park back in the back as well, then leave using the back gate and avoid the traffic that way.

There are also two walkover bridges shown in blue here.

[rickslick]

Thanks again guys for the effort with the answers and pics. I like trying the back gate because I will have tickets before arriving.

[BillBones]

There's also a photo guide over on The Race Forums for Mid-Ohio.

http://www.theraceforums.com/forums/blogs/chris-clark/79-mid-ohio-photography-guide.html